Ukrainian Drones Hit Russian Power Substation, Causing Massive Fire

According to a report by The Kyiv Independent on Saturday, October 18, 2025, An electrical substation in Russia’s Ulyanovsk Oblast has reportedly caught fire following a Ukrainian drone strike, according to Russian Telegram channels on October 18.

Videos circulating on social media appear to show drones hitting the Veshkaima substation overnight, resulting in a large blaze at the facility. The substation, a 500-kilovolt site, is owned by a subsidiary of Rosseti, Russia’s largest power transmission company.

The Kyiv Independent stated that it could not immediately verify the claims. However, the reports align with Ukraine’s growing campaign targeting Russian energy and industrial infrastructure deep inside Russian territory.

Ukraine has intensified long-range drone and missile strikes on oil depots, gas facilities, and power stations in recent months. These attacks are aimed at undermining Russia’s ability to fund and sustain its full-scale invasion, which is now entering its third year.

The Veshkaima substation, located more than 900 kilometers east of the Russia-Ukraine border, marks one of the deepest reported strikes inside Russian territory. Local Russian authorities have not yet issued an official statement regarding casualties or damage estimates.

Just two days earlier, on October 16, Ukrainian drones reportedly struck another power substation in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast, according to regional Governor Andrey Bocharov. That attack also caused fires and temporary power disruptions in several nearby districts.

In late September, Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported a similar strike that resulted in what he described as “significant power outages” after Ukrainian forces allegedly targeted a thermal power plant with HIMARS rockets.

Russia has continued to carry out mass aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities, particularly targeting energy infrastructure ahead of the winter season. Ukraine’s latest drone strikes are seen as part of a broader counterstrategy to pressure Moscow by disrupting its own power network and military supply chain.